Members of the Braves nation...can we still have faith in John Sherholtz to make an amazing team out of head-scratching trades and waivers?
For those of you who haven't been keeping up:
(1) Paul Bird (P) has gone to Anaheim (not too bad because he's been on the DL too much to do anything effective for Atlanta).
(2) J.D. Drew is gone (NOOOOO! Drew hit .305 with 31 homers, 93 RBIss and 12 stolen bases, can't you bump his salary a LITTLE bit, Sherholtz?!?!?)
(3) Jaret Wright's going to the Yankees (this may not be a bad thing either. Wright usually gets in a rut around mid-season, and he will likely fail without Leo Mazzone to coach him through it - a la Tom Glavine)
(4) Smoltz is moving back to starting pitcher (you know Sherholtz, if you hadn't agreed to give Smoltz a $100,000 bonus for every start, you could have afforded to keep Drew. My only problem with Smoltz moving back to starter is (1) can he still bring it? and (2) who the heck are they going to have as a closer?
(5) No one is quite sure yet what is going to happen with Russ Ortiz, Julio Franco, Antonio Alfonseca. While the Braves offered arbitration to Franco, they have not offered arbitration to Ortiz or Alfonseca, so they will likely be gone in the spring.
So...can the Braves do it without Drew's power? Can C. Jones come back at the beginning of the season with the power he had after the all-star break? Can Leo Mazzone mold a brand new crop of starters AND closers into an effective pitching unit?
Well, Braves fans, I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Oh how we danced and we swallowed the nights for it was all ripe for dreaming
Oh how we danced away all of the lights we've always been out of our minds
1. He was crap anyway, no loss.
2. J.D. Drew is good, but he has a history of injuries, there is better talent in the free agent pool.
3. He isn't any good the Yanks can have him.
4. The Braves just signed Brewers' closer Danny Kolb (All-Star last year) to be closer, Smoltz is a pimp, He will win about 16-18 games I'll put the statpat seal of approval on that.
5. Russ Ortiz was resigned by the Braves, but then traded to the Diamondbacks. Franco needs to hurry up and die.
I've been to many a Montgomery Biscuits game when they played the Greeneville Braves. The Braves have some studs on that AA team like 3B Andy Marte. He hit the longest homerun I've ever seen and the longest in Biscuit stadium history.
The Braves have always been crazy, they never go after anybody good during free agency. There are many good players left in the market like Carlos Delgado, He would be a stud in Atlanta.
Moving on up, Moving on up to eastside, to those deluxe apartments in the sky!!!.
But Drew just finished a season with no time on the DL. I just think that not giving him arbitration was a mistake.
I'm definitely depending on that AA talent this season, and on Leo Mazzone to turn around some guys who have been put out to pasture by other teams.
I positively DROOL over the prospect of Delgado, but how much will he cost? They are trying to keep an $80 mill cap, and Smoltz ain't helping that!
Oh how we danced and we swallowed the nights for it was all ripe for dreaming
Oh how we danced away all of the lights we've always been out of our minds
As for the Free agent talent still available: Moises Alou, Tony Bastista, Carlos Beltran, Adrian Beltre, Jeromy Burnitz, Carlos Delgado, Juan Gonzalez, Magglio Ordonez
Moving on up, Moving on up to eastside, to those deluxe apartments in the sky!!!.
I actually thought the Braves might go deeper into the postseason last year. They actually had a team that would have to play above their normal everyday style to beat other playoff teams. Atlanta has always had the team, but when it came to the playoffs it seemed they would continue to play like they did all season. During the regular season this was fine, because they were the best. In the playoffs they didnt seem to pick it up any while the other teams did. Another thing that has always hurt the Braves in the playoffs is their starting pitching. Yes, I am talking about Glavine, Maddux, and whoever else. Neither Glavine or Maddux were good enough pitchers to win consitently in the playoffs. Neither is or was a power pitcher. Both relied on generous strike zones which disappeared in the playoffs. Without the big strike zone hitters could sit back and wait for something to hit knowing neither pitcher had enough gas to get it by them.
I am not sure about Smoltz being a starter again. I believe he will be good this season, but he was having a lot of elbow or arm problems before finally ending up closing games.
Well when u think u can count them out the braves go and trade for Tim Hudson. If you are a baseball fan you will know that he is one of he best young pitchers in all of baseball. I hate that they gave up Charles Thomas and the outfield is thin now with only Andruw left but i am sure they will do what it takes to field a competitive team
"Nobody ever got back-slapped into winnning anything"
Wallace Wade
i have always been a big braves fan...i just dont understand why they keep tearing the team apart every off season...it seems they have a whole new team every year surrounding andruw and chipper who arent exactly the most reliable franchise players...i just dont understand it...bobby and leo still are the best coaches in the league though...i dont agree with the smoltz decision at all...i dont think he can handle it...i think they should make him a middle reliever who will give you 3 innings and that way you only use 3 pitchers instead of 6...but im not the coach so what do i know...GO BRAVES!
There are none so blind as those who will not see.
Well, I've always said this about the Braves... they may have talent and alot of trophies, but they just don't spend any money to fill the gaps...
I mean why have a sorry 1B, who can't hit for nothing when you got Carlos Delgado sitting there in Free Agency that can murder the ball.
Every year, the Braves don't sign anybody... Stupid...
Moving on up, Moving on up to eastside, to those deluxe apartments in the sky!!!.
